An Internet user often registers with multiple web sites or application systems in order to sign up for subscriptions or services, make purchases, receive content, etc. During a typical registration process, the user must provide various information to the application system such as name, address, user id, email address, phone numbers, and other information. In a typical registration process, users fill out long forms by entering profile information into a web-based form. For example, when a user registers with the application system, the user must manually enter all of the required profile information. An Internet user must also go through a similar process when purchasing goods or entering contests. As a result, a typical Internet user enters the same user profile information over and over on multiple web sites or application systems.
In one type of prior art web-based application system, systems use a user profile data repository to store user information and support user personalized services. However, these user profile data repositories are per-system based, so that the user profile information is only used for that system or that service provider. Therefore, users must still provide user profile information to other web sites.